Who gives way: overtaking, meeting, crossing and sailboats (Rules 11-17)

Navigation Rules, lights & bridges · Power & sail

When vessels can see each other, one is usually the give-way vessel and the other the stand-on vessel. Overtaking boats keep clear; power-driven boats meeting head-on both turn to starboard; when crossing, the boat with the other on its starboard side gives way. Rule 12 sorts out two sailboats.

Overtaking (Rule 13)

• Any vessel overtaking another, sail or power, must keep out of its way (Rule 13(a)).
• You are overtaking when you come up from more than 22.5 degrees abaft the other vessel's beam, where at night you would see only her sternlight and neither sidelight (Rule 13(b)).
• If in doubt, assume you are overtaking. A later change of bearing doesn't turn it into a crossing; you keep clear until finally past and clear (Rule 13(c), (d)).

Head-on (Rule 14)

• Two power-driven vessels meeting on reciprocal or nearly reciprocal courses each alter course to starboard and pass port to port (Rule 14(a)).
• It is head-on when you see the other vessel ahead or nearly ahead: at night, her masthead lights in line or nearly so and/or both sidelights; by day, the matching aspect. If in doubt, treat it as head-on (Rule 14(b), (c)).
• The Inland rule begins 'unless otherwise agreed', so vessels may agree by whistle or radio to pass another way (Inland Rule 14(a), 34(h)).

Crossing (Rule 15)

• When two power-driven vessels cross with risk of collision, the one with the other on her own starboard side keeps out of the way and, if circumstances allow, avoids crossing ahead (Rule 15(a)).
• Inland, on the Great Lakes, Western Rivers and listed waters, a power-driven vessel crossing a river keeps clear of power-driven vessels going up or down it (Inland Rule 15(b)).

Give-way and stand-on duties (Rules 16 and 17)

• The give-way vessel takes early and substantial action to keep well clear (Rule 16).
• The stand-on vessel keeps her course and speed. She may act on her own once it is clear the give-way vessel isn't acting, and must act when collision can no longer be avoided by the give-way vessel alone (Rule 17(a), (b)).
• A power-driven stand-on vessel that acts in a crossing should, if circumstances allow, not turn to port for a vessel on her own port side (Rule 17(c)).

Two sailing vessels (Rule 12)

• Wind on different sides: the boat with the wind on her port side keeps out of the way (Rule 12(a)(i)).
• Wind on the same side: the windward boat keeps out of the way of the leeward boat (Rule 12(a)(ii)).
• If you have the wind to port and can't tell which side a boat to windward has the wind on, keep out of her way. The windward side is the side opposite the mainsail (Rule 12(a)(iii), (b)).

The rules: COLREGS Rule 11 · COLREGS Rule 12 · COLREGS Rule 13 · COLREGS Rule 14 · Inland Rule 14 · COLREGS Rule 15 · Inland Rule 15 · COLREGS Rule 16 · COLREGS Rule 17 · 33 CFR 83.11 · 33 CFR 83.12 · 33 CFR 83.13 · 33 CFR 83.14 · 33 CFR 83.15 · 33 CFR 83.16 · 33 CFR 83.17

A plain-language summary of federal rules for recreational boats, checked against the rules’ own text and a second source, and written in our own words. It isn’t legal advice. States add rules of their own, and rules change — the links above go to the current official text.